Fishing for marlin with a bear. Wait, is that right?

So I have alluded recently in the past to an upcoming trip in AK. Well to the uninformed this trip will commence actually in Canada (I know, I will probably hold my breath the whole time until back in America) and then will continue down the Yukon until we reach the Pacific Ocean. This is real deal, huge, man-eating, scary, bear country. So since I'll be living among these beautiful beasts and since they have huge claws, teeth, and muscles not to mention super human smell and heat vision, (I may have made up that last one) I thought it would only be fair if I evened up the playing field a little bit by taking along a new friend of mine. Although we have yet to be officially introduced I'm sure we will get along fine.
Her measurements are:
Caliber 45-70
Barrel 18 inches
Capacity 4+1
Beautiful isn't she? So to people that may not be as gun savvy as others the 45-70 is a little smaller bullet than the one used by Tom Selleck's Character in "Quigley Down Under." Quigley used a 45-110 and this is a 45-70 (think of getting hit by a train with 11 cars behind it rather than just 7.) The 45 is the next size down from the 50 caliber. Even with my new friend I think I would rather still just not see any bears. They are big and scary.

I guess a little ranting never hurt anybody. As long as it is just a little bit.

So for one of my classes I have to make a survey and document the results. I chose to do mine on adventure, go figure, and recently sent out my surveys to 100 unsuspecting students of BYU-Idaho. So basically the survey asks what people do for adventure, who they seek it with, etc... One of the questions I asked was something along the lines of where do you seek adventure.
HERE IS THE IMPORTANT PART
one of the people answered "In my house on my computer." Really? Really? that is the best you could come up with? Now I know I'm not any sort scholar on adventure (is there even such a thing?) but I do know that if you want to have an adventure there has to be some form of risk. Does this guy really think that his fake, imaginary character on his video game puts his life in some sort of risk? I mean even trying a new restaurant involves some risk. How would it feel to have you whole life lived in virtual reality? At the end of my life when I meet God (hopefully, and hopefully not too soon) when he asks me how I enjoyed life I'll get to say to him "I loved it. I loved seeing your creations, I loved using my muscles to reach mountain tops and canyon bottoms, I loved spending real time with other people, I loved the whole experience. Hell, I would probably be up for the experience again." Let me end here with a little quote from one of friends, maybe you've heard of him maybe you haven't but John Muir said, "No right way is easy in the rough world. We must risk our lives to save them."

As the snow around town kind of starts to melt and the snow up at the resorts turns more and more into ice, the obvious signs of spring are evident. As much as I have loved this winter I am pretty super stoked for summer. So now for my top ten reasons I'm looking forward to summer.

10. Growing an enormous BYU-I unapproved mustache
9. Chacos
8. Listening to the rain with the door open
7. Camping all the time
6. Not wearing full length pants
5. Not wearing shirts
4. Finding ridiculous sunglasses and never taking them off
3. Running shorts (mine are shamefully short)
2. The way the air feels late at night
1. Oh did I mention that I'm going to ALASKA!!! WOO HOOOOOO!!!

But as the joys of spring/summer approach I can't forget the happiness that comes with winter like...

10. Wearing wool almost constantly
9. Building snow caves
8. Sleeping in snow caves
7. The cold on the only part of my exposed face below my goggles and above my scarf
6. Hot chocolate
5. Talking to people on ski lifts
4. Watching people slip and fall on ice
3. Fresh new powder
2. Following beginner snowboarders
1. Watching everyone hiding from the cold in their houses and packing my skis out for another day of skiing